It’s hard to believe it’s been a quarter of a century since his last fight and more than four decades since his professional debut.
Davey Moore, who made the 1980 Olympic team (but did not compete due to the boycott) and was a four-time Golden Gloves champion, was an exceptional fan. He later turned professional and had an exciting professional career that he can look back on with pride.
Davey Moore, from the Bronx, New York, only fought 23 times in the paid ranks, but he certainly made a name for himself by facing some of the best of his time.
Moore would turn professional in November 1980 and record 12 consecutive victories. Even more impressive is the fact that he was world champion in his ninth fight and would record 3 title defenses in this championship run.
This would lead to a fight with legend Roberto Durán in the summer of 1983 at Madison Square Garden, at Moore’s home in New York City. The coronation was planned for the passing of the torch from the tough legend Durán to the young and attractive champion Moore.
While Durán had gone 4-3 in his last 7 before the fight, he brought a wealth of world-class experience. He was a legendary Panamanian tough guy who had ruled from lightweight to welterweight until he lost to superstar Ray Leonard.
Since Leonard’s defeat two and a half years earlier, he had only fought a pedestrian 4-2 6 times.
Close to 80 fights deep when he fought Moore, many questioned Durán’s focus and dedication at this stage of his career. It was the classic ‘out with the old, in with the new’ scenario, but Durán wasn’t quite ready to give up his position.
At a hot summer MSG, amidst a lively crowd in New York, the fight quickly became a back-and-forth bout between both fighters. While Moore landed some good shots, they never deterred the always offensive Durán, who was slowly cutting away at a tired Moore.
Duran began throwing fierce body shots and hurt Moore with hard blows to the head. After a knockdown in the seventh round, everything went one way and Durán delivered a brutal beating to the young challenger. Moore was finally knocked down and stopped in the eighth round in a fight that could and should have been stopped earlier by inept referee Ernesto Magaña.
After the loss, Moore would fight 10 more times over the next 4 years, going 6-4. While Moore never seemed to recover physically or mentally from Durán’s beating, it is worth noting that all 4 of his losses came to a world title challenger and 3 former world champions.
Moore would retire in the spring of 1988 with a record of 18-5, with 14 KOs.
Moore’s victory propelled Durán into big-money fights with Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns. Durán would fight 17 more years and would face Robbie Sims, Iran Barkley, Ray Leonard, Vinny Pazienza, William Joppy and Héctor Camacho, among others, to close his incredible career of 119 fights in 2000.
While Moore was most famous for defeating Durán, it is worth noting that in a 23-fight career, he won one world title, defended it 3 times, was in 7 world title fights, and fought 3 world champions in his last 10. fights. .
A career, both amateur and professional, that he should be proud of.
Thanks for the memories.
